stefos

Hi everyone,

I own a black & white copy of William Law's "The works of Jacob Boehme."

I was struck by how different Christian Theosophy: Hermeticism, Alchemical thought, Kabbalah & Christianity are from Blavatsky's Thesophy & Rudolf Steiner's Theosophy/Anthroposophy.

I would what you, the reader, think about this.

Also, I wonder if any groups exist which teach Christian Theosophy as found in Boehme & in works like "Opus Magnum Cabbalisticum et Theosophicum" or whatever the title particularly is.

Stefos

No shit.

 

 

 

You are the only one trying to reconcile them.

 

 

Why are you threatened by Hinduism? Especially with your love for Brahman?

 

No shit.

 

 

Tibetans know about jhanas, but will view stuff like pranayama superior to meditation, following in the vein of the Indian tradition.

 

 

No shit.

The sum total of your post is "No shit"

You are not a Buddhist otherwise you would have taken into consideration your emotional state in saying what you've stated which is overtly toned with anger.

Grow up & actually practice Buddhadharma. Whatever happened to Right speech/Perfect speech for example?

You are not presenting yourself properly but are emotion charged.

Vajrayana is buddhist tantra which is a definition that implies something peculiar and not easily grasped.

You would understand more of what vajrayana is by speaking with theravadins who actually practiced it (tantra) to some extent rather than those who keeps an opinion or two.

 

 

 

According to the scriptures, Jesus taught to reconcile with God because he was the Messiah and soon he shall settle his reign. We are waiting since then, although he said that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

 

As for the "father" thing, to refer to God as father was (and is) common in jew prayers and hymns.

1. Yes, you're right. That nun was sticking to her Theravada guns for sure.

I never said anything more than what she said. I'm not ignorant!

2. Yes, you're right: Come soon Lord Jesus!

If my memory doesn't cheat, the "impersonal Brahman" philosophy was developed much LATER Shakyamuni's time by Shankara...

at the time of the Buddha, hindu society has devas with personalities and nothing that could be similar to his idea of Nirvana.

No, this isn't correct. The impersonal Brahman philosophy did exist before & during the time of the Buddha.

The Pali Tipitaka contains many elements taken from "Hindu" sources:

A. Pranayama

B. Cosmological view: Earth, Wind, Water, Fire, Akasa (ETC.)

C. The Buddhas 2 teachers prior to his enlightenment were yogis who knew the vedas and understood the jhanas.

Having stated the above, there are no immediate sources of what the Buddha said, only the Pali Tipitaka which was written 500 years after Shakyamuni died and in which great divisions & controversies over what he taught sprung up (24 schools period, etc.) leading to the existence of modern Theravada & Mahayana.

Flexibility is inherent in the Dharma, otherwise best it can do is partial rendering of insight. For insight to be complete and workable, Dharma practice considers all possibilities, rejects very little without first reflecting it off personal experience. Elitist attitudes and snobbishness has no place in genuine Dharmaship.

This is not true because your definition of "flexibility" is syncretism which is to say: Wherever you teach Buddhadharma, combine it with the local gods/goddesses & regional spirits of the land and it's all cool, no problems.

Shakyamuni would have probably said "Why are you telling the people lies by combining things into what I taught?"

Either Shakyamuni believed in an Ultimate deity or not, Either the noble 8 fold path is right or not, etc. etc.

Incidentally, THIS is how & why Christianity has so many different denominations: Syncretism & "The traditions of men" tacked on to what Jesus & the New Testament letters state! So, it's not a closed phenomenon to Buddhist circles as the Ch'an did the same in China with the mixing of Daoism & Buddhadharma.

I don't care about what the Thai, Burmese, Cambodian, Vietnamese, Sri Lankans, etc. do outside of the actual Buddhadharma itself as of deep importance although I do care about why it exists, I really care about Buddhadharma as it was taught by Shakyamuni himself alone!

Thank you.......

The Buddha taught one thing and not the various flavorings of Buddhist syncretism found all over the modern Buddhist world today.

Stefos

Viewing the guru as a dharmakaya Buddha, higher than any yidam, is one way of achieving Buddhahood in 1 lifetime.

 

You don't need completion stage etc.

 

This is stated for example by Khenpo Ngawang Pelzang in "A Guide to the Words of My Perfect Teacher."

You say that as a tantric Buddhist........Not found in Pali texts......Hence your bias

Besides, in Dzogchen "guru yoga' is not the teacher it's the primordial nature

Dear Stefos,

 

I have read on the internet that the most famous person for loving everybody indiscriminately is Geezus and in response to your invitation that i should love you i suggested that you stick with this person who seem to know a lot of things about love which i don't.

The indians at my local corner shop are selling pictures with this person where he is beautifully depicted with long blond hair , angelic blue eyes and a visible heart pierced by a loving arrow which can only mean that he can impress upon everybody regrdless of their race or business inclination.

 

Since you are in the business of bashing all the buddhists who are not pali buddhists i think this person can love you too.

First off, I'm not nor ever was "bashing" anyone. However the way you address "Geezus" is demeaning to the person. Right? Why can't you just type "Yeshua" or "Yehoshua" what his name actually was?

I'm simply stating: Early Buddhism, Mahayana, Vajrayana, Mahamudra/Dzogchen are not the same.

Why can't you understand that? People are trying to reconcile all of them & you can't.

I spoke with a Theravada nun & she said that "Vajrayana is Buddhism with Hinduism mixed in."

There you go! Case in point.

Why is everyone on the buddhist forum talking about Jesus?

Why not? What bad did Jesus do? None

We don't live in a bubble world anymore.

All I can say that if by chance you are right and Jesus was teaching Dzogchen then he taught it very badly because everyone he taught practiced something else i.e. Christianity.

What Jesus taught was being reconciled to God and God was described by Jesus as his Father.

In early Buddhism, Nibbana = Brahman can definitely be viewed as God the Father Impersonal:

I believe that Buddha Shakyamuni believed in Brahman = Nibbana & NOT Brahma = Nibbana or Vishnu = Nibbana or Shiva = Nibbana.

I have no problems viewing what little, I believe, Shakyamuni actually taught in the Pali texts as being in sympathy with biblical Christianity, not "denominational" Christianity, which is a watering down & Pagan amalgamation into & of biblical Christianity.

Mahayana, Tantric Buddhism, Mahamudra/Dzogchen came later.

I also believe that there were indeed tantric teachings taught by Shakyamuni to people openly but who knows what actually happened historically? Were you there?

For example: The Buddha spoke of "Winds" tearing his insides, head and entire body upon the stopping of the breath of the nose/mouth and then he mentions closing the eyes and ears also with similar results.

This is Prana, Kumbhaka & Rechaka and a particular Mudra which is about "closing the 10 apertures" respectively and the Buddha knew it & practiced it, it would clearly appear.

And finally, No one truly knows what Shakyamuni truly fully taught because the earliest records, just like the Jains are lost.

If we examine the Pali texts & the Vimuttimagga/Visuddhimagga, we see that Kasinas, Jhanas and other things are mentioned & taught. Tibetans know nothing about these things....Why? Zen practitioners don't....Why? Is there way superior vs. the Pali inferior?

Hinayana is not synonymous with Theravada only nor is Mahayana synonymous with Zen/Ch'an/Pure Land Buddhism only.

Not the same.

Bye bye,

Stefos

So, your basically saying that Padmasambhava, Longchenpa or Chogyal Namkhai Norbu have propagated a mistaken delusional doctrine and are actually themselves deluded?

 

Geoff

The TRUE statements to make are these:

What did the Buddha actually teach? Period. If that isn't nailed down ANY so called "Dharma" can be pushed as "Buddhist."

NONSENSE.....

Did the Mahasiddhas attain something?

Perhaps...probably as I saw bands of color near someone and I never saw them before or since.

The issue is "Where did the Mahasiddhas get their information from in order to "attain" what they did?"

What's the source? By the way, don't tell me Milarepa got it from Marpa who got it from Tilopa.

Go back further....sorry, it's not good enough for me.

Lastly,

Chogyal Namkhai Norbu can absolutely be duped...He himself stated he's not enlightened.,

Longchenpa can absolutely be deceived and Guru Padmasambhava could have been deceived also.

My last statement reiterates what I've said all along:

First, which is to say of primarily importance: What did Shakyamuni Buddha actually teach?

All other so called "Buddhist Dharma" must be put to Shakyamuni's litmus test FIRST.

I don't deny subtle energy channels or chakras or koshas.

I DO completely question the validity of what I've read about another spiritually "attained" person.

Anything can be replicated, It doesn't qualify it as Truth in the Ultimate sense.

Stefos

Since you have expressed such interest, you are now gifted with many hours of Dalai Lama's teachings (with moving pictures too, just so it doesn't get boring) which covers all the principle aspects of the various stages along the Mahayana path, from the lesser scope to the greater. (bearing in mind lesser and greater are only functionary in terms of usage).

 

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=stages+of+the+path&oq=stages+of+the+path&gs_l=youtube.3...65227.87906.0.88365.40.31.5.3.4.7.203.3595.14j15j2.31.0...0.0...1ac.1.11.youtube.Zea7prR6qq0

 

 

Please take your time to absorb all the information, which will then hopefully put your mind to ease, and you will not have to be tormented again by what you think is lacking in tibetan buddhism and basically your own interpretation of it.

I admit...I don't know the history of Tibetan Buddhism but I do know that the Tibetan tipitaka is culled from the Chinese works.

I know about Guru Padmasambhava & Atisha & Jenongpa (Jegongpa?)...also.

I know about the "new schools" or Gelug, Sakya, & Kagyu...and the old school "Nyingma" and Bon also.

I'm aware of Mahamudra & Dzogchen as well.

Beyond that...I don't know the nitty gritty of the Tibetan Buddhist schemas, if you will.

If you feel connected to or drawn towards Tibetan Buddhism then you need to study for a while under an authentic teacher. Then when you have assimilated enough of the path you can make an assessment as to whether to go further. I don't think you will gain much from standing on the sidelines and wondering about this and that.

I don't "stand on the sidelines."

I have received transmission from CNN Rinpoche actually and have had a number of retreats with him present at Tsegyalgar East.

I'm not ignorant....I'm merely asking about "Why all the traditions in Tibet & why can't there be an easy way of understanding it."

That's all!

Stefos

That's because the Kangyur has translations of the Chinese Agamas.

Well, what is more accurate? The Chinese Agamas or the Pali Nikayas?

To me the Nikayas are.

Stefos

Hi everyone,

Looking at the "Tibetan Buddhist" posts here is showing me one thing:

Tibetan Buddhism needs to be clearer insofar as what different schools believe.

Furthermore, Many Tibetan Buddhists seem to know nothing of what Shakyamuni Buddha taught insofar as the Pali texts are concerned.

I for one have never seen any Tibetan Buddhist talk in depth about the Nikayas!

It's either transformation as a deity or a "Dorje Shugden" problem or just a general sense of weirdness that I've experienced around Tibetan Buddhist Americans anyway.

What ever happened to the 4 noble truths, 8 fold path, Anapanasati, Vipassana, etc.?

Bring it back Tibetan Buddhists and state what you believe in clear terms.

Stefos

 

post by Mark Foote

 

Quote

 

"The Gospel According to Thomas" is an amazing book, I think. There are statements in there that echo other teachers around the world, but stated in a very unique way. There was someone who was an amazing teacher, I'm sure of that. Here's a favorite:

 

They said to Him: Shall we then, being children,

enter the Kingdom? Jesus said to them:

When you make the two one, and

when you make the inner as the outer

and the outer as the inner and the above

as the below,

and when

you make the male and the female into a single one,

so that the male will not be male and

the female (not) be female, when you make

eyes in the place of an eye, and a hand

in the place of a hand, and a foot in the place

of a foot, (and) an image in the place of an image,

then shall you enter [the Kingdom].

 

(The Gospel According to Thomas, coptic text established and translated by A. Guillaumont, H.-CH. Puech, G. Quispel, W. Till and Yassah ‘Abd Al Masih, pg 18-19 log. 22, ©1959 E. J. Brill)

 

I attempt an explanation, here:

From the Gospel of Thomas

Read the New Testament & forget the so called "Gospel of Thomas"

There's enough in the Tanakh & New Testament combined to confound you!

BTW, you might want to pick up F.F. Bruce's "Are the N.T. documents reliable?"

AND

"Biblical Archaeology" dated but good.

Well, I got this in BEFORE the WWT of Guru Padmasambhava.......Woot Woooooo

Stefos

OM AH HUM baybay..

1) Open palm or closed fist? To defend yourself is to hinder growth and the opportunity to grow. There isn't a right or wrong answer here. If you believe that there are evil forces out in the universe, you have already found them in your belief. If your seeking ONE reality, this also means you will have to see past the vices and ills of others. Drug dealers, murderers, rapist, etc. The reason people abhorred such relations because of the treachery and agony that is inherit in said individuals. They are experiencing hell within.

I beg to differ:

Ultimate reality vs. Relative reality is what I refer to.

It seems that magick has one standing a twixt the chasm of the two, not seriously committed toward Ultimate reality.

I have know drug dealers, drug users, alcoholics. Suffice to say that selfishness is their God.

Their selfishness contorts them as it did me & you.

Every person has either allowed or not allowed themselves to be molded by upbringing &/or life events & other forms of conditioning. So be it.

Suffice to say that selflessness is qualitatively different & not a "path" sought after by many.

OM Shanti, Shanti, Shanti

http://youtu.be/5NvamWUE9Vg?t=13m5s

Idiot Stimpy,

Why post this here sir?

You disgrace this forum with this person who was a liar & manipulator & a murderer.

Kindly remove the hyperlink please.

It has ZERO to do with the secret....which is nonsense anyway.

Stefos

I don't think chakras are Vedic.

 

Chakras were first developed in Buddhist tantra and then subsequently adapted by Saiva tantra.

Chakras aren't Vedic or Buddhist or Christian.

They are part of a human beings make up insofar as the various "bodies" or koshas are considered.

An integral part of every person.

Stefos

ChNN, has apparently mentioned this more than once, according to some DC members. ChNN's criteria for a "realized being" is multifaceted. I personally don't agree with him that "realization" entails control over the 4 elements: since Buddhists and non-Buddhists (if they cultivate hard enough) can develop themselves to this point. This doesn't mean that someone has realization of 2-fold emptiness.

 

 

And how do YOU know Yeshua didn't have an understanding of the "2 fold emptiness" of self & other?

Jesus said "Father, not my will be done but yours"

He also said "The cup which the Father has given me, Shall I not drink it?"

If that isn't emptiness (In the New Testament's context of what Jesus was about to go through),

then you my friend are lost severely.

You seem to be way preoccupied with emptiness....What about the "primordial State" which is beyond emptiness?

Shakyamuni said "There IS the deathless, the unbecoming, the undying, the unborn OH monks, If it were not so I would not have told you." He also said "Here is where conditioned consciousness ceased to exist/be" he was referring to Nibbana.

Yeshua is LORD.

Stefos

Love is overrated.

 

But hey....if you want to be loved stick with Geesus.

 

And as far as i know a "buddhist" doesn't come with an out of the box view.

It acquires one based on the approach of the school he/she adheres to.

Now, I don't know if you're being funny or just being rude.

"Geezus"....really? Are we 2 years old?

Please clarify what you've posted.

Thank you,

Stefso

This conversation went, as Krishnamurti stated "From the sublime to the ridiculous."

Please address what I've posted or go meditate facing a wall.......LOL

Stefos

P.S. And what about Jesus (Yeshua) being a "realized being????"

Still waiting........

No.

I'm not one to do this ever, but I will starting now.

Apech, I've shared personal things about myself here openly.

I don't care what people think! I know what I "saw."

No am I vainglorious in sharing what I shared. Perhaps it might help someone!

Are you bound by oaths or secrecy to not reveal this?

Just asking because I can.

Stefos

Morality does not stem from religion.

Religion is an attempt to explain morality.

Wrong.

If absolutes exist, then they exist.

Many religions have no basis in reality, some are complete fabrications, some are 1/2 truths, some point to their perception of the truth as openly & honestly as possible, etc. Permutations & Combinations.

Morality stems from absolutes...Absolutes stem from the Ultimate reality, friend.

What's YOUR reality?

Stefos

India has been westernized for hundreds of years.

 

India was a British colony, not to mention the other European countries.

Not in the way American morals & values have been pushed by particular people in the media in India & elsewhere in the world.

You wrong buddy. Wake up & smell the Sanka!

Watch that movie clip again....what is that guy trying to push/prove? Tight clothes, water all over him, the way he moves....

Wake Up man, it's secularization at its finest.

Stefos

I don't understand you.

Should I ?

 

Don't be a tourist.

Stick to the essence .

You've listened to CNNr. He tell's it straight.Few other people do.

There is nothing else to know apart from the essence.

If you KNOW the essence you know all the limited perspectives down to your very dear theosophy friends.

You should not only understand me BUT more importantly LOVE me.

THAT is important.

Furthermore, Dzogchen is true but How does a "Buddhist" view others like Sri Ramana Maharshi or Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj?

What about Shankaracharya?

You see, at what point does the "Buddhist" say: "THIS is Buddhadharma, THIS isn't?"

If you listen to Tibetan Buddhism, they say "The Tibetan & Indian Mahasiddhas & the Kanjur & Mahamudra & Dzogchen" ONLY.

The Theras say...."The Pali canon ONLY."

Doesn't anyone here have enough guts to acknowledge that?

When I constantly hear about "Tibetan Buddhism" & "Lamas" & "Rinpoches" It gets me believing more & more that it's big business rather than Dharma/Dhamma. Dharma/Dhamma is given when requested FOR FREE. Period.

It seems to me that there IS a disconnect between Pre-Pali & Post Pali Buddhism.

No one here wants to acknowledge that because of fear.

Why are you afraid? If you're wrong, you're wrong. The Dharma/Dhamma you've been pushing might be wrong too!

Here's an interesting side not: CNNR said at a recent webcast "Jesus was a realized being."

Now wrap your head around that & explain it to me. He said "No one can walk on water and not sink" right before that.

Stefos

1) No. WHY? WHAT FOR?

 

2) In the mode of becoming.. Yes.

 

3) Feel - Think - Will. SO MOTE IT BE!

1. Why define magick & what for?

This is obvious man: Knowledge sake.....Defending myself against kooks & malignant people & forces...perhaps????

Riiiigght??

2. O.K.

3. O.K.

The bottom line is that the duality "Good vs. Evil" is not "good." It keeps a person stuck in duality.

I'm of the persuasion that we must go beyond "Good vs. Evil" by examining our motives & means & ends.

Ultimately, there is only ONE reality, not 5 billion different flavorings of it. No matter how the expressions may be presented.

So, I don't like the White, Black, Grey magick schema. Magick is magick....I even question the motives of so-called "White magick" practicioners: Who taught them? Why were they taught? What is the moral fiber/character of these magickcians?

Dubious business indeed.

Stefos

???

I've said enough.........If you can't figure it out by now....start thinking more about that weird video you posted.

The guy in the video seems like he's full of himself & he's been "Americanized" very well....look at his clothes for example.

I absolutely do not agree with the morals/ethics of the largely secularized U.S.A. being amalgamated into anywhere else in the world. The U.S.'s morals & ethics compass is done...burnt to a crispy.

The only people here with strong morals are practicing Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists & "Hindus" (boy I hate that word too).

Ciao,

Stefos

 

 

Khenpo Ngawang Pelzang, who is one of the greatest masters of the Longchen Nyingthig, says:

 

"Practice aspiration transference all the time, when you are eating, sleeping, walking or sitting: using the three images, keep your awareness constantly focused above your head and recite:

 

Buddha Amitabha, I pray to you,

Bless me that I may be reborn in the Pure Land of Bliss."

-----A Guide to the Words of My Perfect Teacher

 

So you can see that Dzogchenpas recommend practices very much like Pure Land Buddhism.

Actually, no.

CNN says that Guru Yoga, visualizing the 5 colored Thigle with the white A is the best practice, allowing thoughts & emotions to self liberate.

He said if you do this only for a few seconds even AND are in the state of presence....it's pefect.

The Pure Land Buddhism cult of today is not what was meant by Khenpo Ngawang Pelzang.

Come one....you should know better than that.

Stefos

???

???........Americanized India.....You heard it.

We have a crisis in the world due to nationalism, various forms of political identification and general self-adoring going on.

Secularization of a highly spiritual country stemming from "Western" which is to exclusively say "American" values sucks.

So much of the world see America as being promiscuous & loose in morals/ethics.

The last thing I want is to be labeled as that by anyone. My immediate upbringing is not an "American secular" way of thinking & behaving.

Pull the video man...Do Americans a favor

Stefos

Howdy y'all!

Check out my post about spheres of light that I saw after meditation....

It's in the "so why are you here?" thread in this sub-forum.

Yes...I saw spheres of golden yellow light and they were emitting golden light in my former apartment next to my current apartment complex.

It's real.

Stefos

That makes it more accurate and easier to understand what I mean.

 

 

http://www.dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=8318&hilit=namkhai+norbu&start=40

 

 

ChNN likes Chan/Zen just fine.

 

I am not sure I understand the rest of your question.

 

Suck it, Alwayson!!!

What the HECK is going on here man?

I've been given introduction by Guru Norbu....That's why I'm writing about this stuff....to gain clarity!

OHH NOOOOO..........Man.

I did NOT want this stuff to happen.

I'm sorry.

I'm busy. I'll address all this nonsense lata.

Listen, I'm trying to gain clarity for myself.

I found out about Dzogchen through Krishnamurti's writings.

Krishnamurti said to question....The Buddha Shakyamuni did too!

That's what I'm doing.

You & Simple Jack are confusing me.

Forget this....I'm done.

BYEEE

Stefos

Pure Land Buddhism affirms a particular aspect of the possibility of liberation and that this is achievable through particular methods. As I understand the highest teachings of Tibetan Buddhism such as Dzogchen and Mahamudra do not refute the rest of the Buddhist path ... the Four Noble Truths and so on ... but build on them to give a 'higher' or more direct pathway to the goal. I have not heard of Dzogchen masters who refute parts of the dharma in the way you do.

The highest Teachings of Tibetan Buddhism DO in fact refute other Tibetan Buddhist schools.

Not to be patronizing but I share & ask the following rhetorical questions...please share your answers:

For example, Je Tsongkapa vs. Sakya Pandita vs. etc. vs. etc.

Another example is the the "Consciousness only" school & Zen.

Chogyal Namkhai Norbu says that Dzogchen is not about an "Alaya-vijnana" nor is it Zen.

What do we make of that?

The deep inference IS that these schools are in fact off base and lacking. Period.

CNN did speak about Buddha Shakyamuni's teachings but from the Tibetan Kanjur & not the Pali texts either.

What do we make of that?

To me, it seems obvious that the Tibetan schema is working within the paradigm of it's own Kanjur & it's own historical tracing.

Another issue is that one never hears about the Theras or any other ancient school from Tibetan sources....Why?

Moot point.

Stefos